K - pop is a globose sensation , and listener from all over the earth can see themselves reflected in so many of the amazing artists !
Though it originated in South Korea, K-pop appeals to fans all across the globe. As a result, talented performers from many different countries and backgrounds have made their mark as K-pop idols.
Here are 37 iconic K-pop idols who either have non-Korean backgrounds or didn’t grow up in Korea:
1.Lisa, who’s both a solo artist and a member ofBlackpink, wasbornin Thailand. In the music video for her debut solo single, “Lalisa,” she honored her Thai heritage by wearing a traditional headdress.
2.Rosé, who’s also a solo artist and Blackpink member, wasbornto Korean parents in New Zealand, but she grew up in Australia after moving there at 7.
3.Bang Chan, the leader ofStray Kids, wasbornin South Korea, but hegrew upin Australia.
4.Felix, another member of Stray Kids wasbornto Korean parents in Sydney, Australia.
5.Alex Reid is from the US. When she debuted with RaNia, shebecamethe first non-Asian K-pop idol and the first Black K-pop idol.
6.When Sriya Lenka joined Blackswan, shebecamethe first Indian K-pop idol.
7.Fatou, who’s a member of Blackswan, was born in Senegal,makingher the first African K-pop idol. She also lived in Belgium as a teenager.
8.Minnie, who’s part of (G)I-DLE, is from Thailand. When her group attended the 37th Golden Disc Awards in her home country, they allhonoredher heritage by wearing red carpet outfits made of Thai silk by Thai designer Polpat Asavaprapha and by performing parts of “Villain Dies” in Thai.
9.Mina, who’s a member of TWICE, wasbornin Texas. Shehelddual Japanese and American citizenship until sheexpatriatedfrom the US in 2019.
10.Sana, a member of TWICE, isfromJapan.
11.Momo, who’s also part of TWICE, is from Japan, too. The group’s three Japanese membersjoinedforces to form the unit Misamo.
12.Tzuyu, another member of TWICE, wasbornin Taiwan.
13.BamBam, a soloist and member ofGOT7, isfromThailand.
14.Mark Tuan, who’s also a solo artist and part of GOT7, wasbornand raised in LA. He has Chinese heritage.
15.Jessi wasborninNew York, and she grew up inNew Jersey. When she first moved to South Korea to pursue her music career, she lived with her grandmother.
16.Miriam, who debuted with Prisma, isfromItaly.
17.Nia, who also debuted with Prisma, isfromSpain.
18.Sally, who debuted with Prisma as well,hasChinese heritage, and she was born in California.
19.The8, a member of Seventeen, wasbornin Anshan, China.
20.Jun, another member of Seventeen, is alsofromChina.
21.Joshua, another Seventeen member, wasbornto Korean parents in Los Angeles.
22.When Hanbin debuted with Tempest, hebecamethe first male Vietnamese K-pop idol.
23.Danielle Marsh, a member of NewJeans, wasbornin Newcastle, Australia. Her mom, who’s from South Korea, reportedly met her dad, who’s from Australia, while she was studying abroad.
24.Hanni, who’s also part of NewJeans, isfromAustralia as well. She was born there after her parents moved from Vietnam.
25.Tiffany Young, a soloist who originally debuted with Girls' Generation, wasbornin San Francisco. She has Korean heritage.
26.Chanty, a Lapillus member,grew upin Spain then moved to the Philippines, where her mom is from. Her dad is from Argentina.
27.Yue, who’s also a member of Lapillus, isfromthe US, and she has Chinese heritage.
28.When Isaac Voo debuted with Boys24, hebecamethe first Malaysian K-pop idol.
29.LANA is the first K-pop solo artistfromRussia. She also has Tatar ancestry on her father’s side.
30.Aria, who’s part of X:IN, isfromthe Indian state of Kerala.
31.Vanya, who’s part of Z-Girls, a group designed to make K-pop global, isfromIndonesia.
32.Priyanka, who’s also part of Z-Girls, wasbornin Guwahati, India.
33.Queen, another member of Z-Girls, isfromVietnam.
34.Mavin, a member of Z-Girls' brother group Z-Boys, wasbornin Jakarta, Indonesia.
35.Roy, who’s also part of Z-Boys, wasbornin Vietnam.
36.Josh, another Z-Boys member, isfromthe Philippines.
37.And finally, Gai, a Z-Boys member, isfromTokyo, Japan.
K-pop is a global sensation, and listeners from all over the globe can see themselves reflected in so many of the amazing artists!
